Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Minnesota and Wisconsin

CANADA RUSH

(Juncus canadensis J. Gay.)

Figure 28

RUSH FAMILY (Juncaceae)

IND. STATUS: OBL

FIELD CHARACTERISTICS: Cespitose (tufted) plants with stout, rigid stems 4-10 dm. in height. Leaves number 2-4 and are round in cross section with hard cross partitions (visible on accompanying ink drawing). Leaves 1.5-2.5 mm. thick. Heads hemispherical and 5-10 flowered to spherical and 40-(or more) flowered. The 6 tepals (term used for Juncus because sepals and petals are similar) are 2.7-3.8 mm. long. Fruit is a capsule 3.3-4.5 mm. long. Capsules with a multitude of elongate seeds 1.2-1.9 mm. long with a tail on each end that accounts for more than half the length of the seed.

ECOLOGICAL NOTES: Canada rush is a common species of shallow marshes, inland fresh meadows, lakeshores and a variety of sandy, wet soils.

SOURCE: Gleason and Cronquist (1991); Voss (1972); Great Plains Flora Association (1991); Swink and Wilhelm (1994); and Britton and Brown (1970).

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